The present invention relates to magnetic particles for a magnetic recording medium which are excellent in dispersibility and are suitable as magnetic particles for high-density recording, a process for producing the magnetic particles and a magnetic recording medium therefrom.
With the recent development of miniaturized and lighter-weight magnetic recording and reproducing apparatuses, recording media such as a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a magnetic card and the like have increasingly been required to have a higher performance and a higher recording density.
In order to improve the performance and the recording density of a magnetic recording medium, it is necessary to improve the residual magnetic flux density Br of the magnetic recording medium. The residual magnetic flux density Br of the magnetic recording medium largely depends upon the dispersibility of the magnetic particles in the vehicle and the orientation property and the packing property of the magnetic particles in the coating film.
Various attempts have been made to improve the dispersibility of magnetic particles. For example, there is a method of modifying the surfaces of the magnetic particles by coating with an Si compound or an Al compound, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 55-83207 (1980), 57-56904 (1982), 58-60506 (1983), 58-161725 (1983), 59-23505 (1984), 60-217529 (1985), 61-63921 (1986) and 62-89226 (1987).
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 58-161725 (1983) discloses a method of producing magnetic iron powder comprising neutralizing an alkaline suspension containing iron powder, silicate and aluminate with an acid such as carbon dioxide gas so as to form a film of silicic acid and aluminum oxide on the particle surfaces of the iron powder.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 57-56904 (1982) discloses a magnetic powder for magnetic recording, comprising fine hexagonal ferrite particles having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 0.3 .mu.m which are obtained by depositing SiO.sub.2 to the particle surfaces.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 62-89226 (1987) discloses a magnetic powder produced by forming a layer of an aluminum compound on the surface of magnetic iron oxide powder containing cobalt having a BET specific surface area of not less than 40 m.sup.2 /g, and a process for producing a magnetic powder comprising reacting the magnetic iron oxide powder in an aqueous solution containing a cobalt salt, a ferrous salt and an alkali, thereby forming an iron oxide layer containing cobalt on the particle surfaces of a magnetic iron oxide powder, and adding an aqueous solution of an aluminum salt in the reaction solution so as to neutralize the reaction solution, thereby forming a layer of an aluminum compound on the iron oxide layer containing cobalt.
A method of producing a magnetic particles by coating the surfaces of magnetic particles with a film of an Si compound, forming a film of an Al compound thereon, and further forming a film of an Si compound on the film of the Al compound is also known, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 63-161522 (1988).
Methods of coating the surfaces of magnetic particles with a compound other than an Si compound and an Al compound are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 62-50889 (1987) disclosing a method of coating the particle surfaces with Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, Y, Pb or the like; 59-103310 (1984) disclosing a method of coating the particle surfaces with Cu, Al, Ti, Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Sb, Cr, Mo, W, Ni or the like; 63-303817 (1986) disclosing a method of coating the particle surfaces with Si, Al, Ca, Ti, V, Mn, Ni, Zn, P or the like; and 2-70003 (1990) disclosing a method of coating the particle surfaces with P and Zn, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Al, or the like.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 59-103310 (1984) discloses a method of producing magnetic iron oxide containing cobalt by coating at least one selected from the group consisting of the oxide or hydroxides of Cu, Al, Ti, Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Sb, Cr, Mo, W, and Ni to the particle surfaces of magnetic iron oxide containing cobalt and then treating the iron oxide containing cobalt with steam, or treating the iron oxide containing cobalt with steam before coating step of the oxide or hydroxide to the particle surfaces.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2-70003 (1990) discloses a method of treating a ferromagnetic iron powder by oxidizing in an atmosphere containing oxygen the surface of the ferromagnetic iron powder containing iron as the main ingredient and produced by a dry-reduction process, suspending the ferromagnetic iron powder in water, and adding a phosphoric acid compound and a metal salt of at least one selected from the group consisting of Zn, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Al to the thus-obtained suspension so as to deposit phosphoric acid and a compound of the metal to the ferromagnetic iron powder.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 58-60506 (1983) discloses a magnetic powder having improved dispersibility which contains at least one selected from the group consisting of the oxide or hydroxides of Cu, Ag, Al, Ti, Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Ta, Sb, Cr, Mo, W and Ni on the surface thereof.
Although magnetic particles having an excellent dispersibility are now in the strongest demand, the particles obtained by any of the above-described known methods cannot be said to have an excellent dispersibility.
The reason why particles having an excellent dispersibility are not obtained by any known method is that magnetic particles agglomerate due to the interaction caused by the magnetism, as described at p. 16 of Magnetic Paint Seen from a Standpoint of a Researcher of Magnetic Recording Material pp. 14 to 16 of PROCEEDING OF SEVENTH SUMMER FERRITE SEMINER (1977), published by the Society of Powder and Powder Metallurgy, " . . . It is generally considerably difficult to obtain a high degree of dispersion even in an ordinary non-magnetic pigment. It is much more difficult in the case of a magnetic powder due to a magnetic interaction . . . ", and the surface of each agglomerate is coated.
Especially, in the case of hexagonal ferrite particles which have an easy magnetization axis perpendicular to the plane, the particles so firmly agglomerate due to the interaction caused by the magnetism that it is difficult to separate the agglomerates into discrete particles merely by a mechanical treatment.
The dispersibility of magnetic particles means to what degree the magnetic particles disperse in a polymer, as described at p. 505 of Explication and Applied technique of Dispersion and Agglomeration (1992), published by K.K. Technosystem, " . . . A magnetic coating is prepared by stably dispersing a magnetic powder in a system containing, as the main ingredient, a high-molecular resin-solvent as a binding dispersant. A substrate is uniformly coated with the magnetic coating. The performance of the thus-obtained recording medium is therefore largely dependent upon the dispersion stability of the magnetic particles . . . " For this reason, many studies have been undertaken as to the improvement of the dispersibility of magnetic particles.
The evaluation of the dispersibility is represented by a molecular-weight-dependent parameter .alpha. (hereinunder referred to merely "parameter .alpha."), as described at pp. 94 to 96 of the above-described Explication and Applied technique of Dispersion and Agglomeration, " . . . Many natural and synthetic polymers are adsorbed onto the surface of colloidal particles and form a thick adsorption layer, which exerts a great influence on the stability of the dispersion system. The following relationship generally holds between the molecular weight (M) and the saturation adsorption (As) of a polymer: EQU As=K.sub.1 .multidot.M.sup..alpha. (I)
wherein K.sub.1 is a constant characteristic of the system, and .alpha. is called a molecular-weight-dependent parameter, which is also characteristic of the system and changes between 0 and 1 depending upon the structure of the adsorption layer . . . When .alpha.=1, the polymer is adsorbed at the end of a molecule. The saturation adsorption (As) is proportional to the molecular weight (M). In this system, since the molecular of the polymer stands close together in the form of the deepest adsorption layers on the particle surfaces, a strong solid repulsion effect is produced and effectively contributes to the stability of the dispersion system . . . "
The parameter .alpha. of the magnetic particles obtained by coating the particle surfaces with an Si compound or an Al compound in accordance with the known methods described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 55-83207 (1980), 57-56904 (1982) , 58-60506 (1983), 58-161725 (1982), 59-23505 (1984), 60-217529 (1985), 61-63921 (1986) and 62-89226 (1987), was about 0.40 to 0.45, while the parameters .alpha. of the particles which were not subjected to such a surface-treatment was about 0.28 to 0.34.
The parameters .alpha. of the magnetic particles obtained by the methods described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 63-161522 (1988), 58-60506 (1983), 59-103310 (1984), 63-303817 (1988) and 2-280301 (1990) was about 0.40 to 0.45.
On the other hand, when a magnetic tape is produced from such magnetic particles, the following problems are sometimes caused.
Firstly, the strength of the coating film is sometimes lowered. This fact is described, for example, at p. 170 of Causes for Friction and Abrasion between Magnetic Tape and Magnetic Head and Countermeasure for Troubles (1987), published by the publication department of Technological Information Center, " . . . The binder of a magnetic recording layer is softened so much as to be adhered to the adjacent layer, or the coating film is so aged that the strength is lowered, which is likely to lead to the peel-off of the coating film or dropouts . . . "
The activity of the surfaces of magnetic particles is generally high, so that in a magnetic coating produced from the magnetic particles and a binder resin, the condensation or association of the molecules of the solvent which come into contact with the surfaces of the magnetic particles is caused, thereby raising the boiling point of the solvent in the magnetic coating and making the vaporization of solvent in the magnetic coating difficult. The lowering of the strength of the coating film is caused by a large amount of residual solvent in the magnetic film.
Even after the magnetic coating is oriented and dried during the production of a magnetic tape, the solvent which cannot evaporate remains in the magnetic coating film, so that the magnetic layer is plasticized and softened, which influences the physical properties of the coating film.
The amount of residual solvent on the surface of magnetic particles was not less than 2.0% (calculated as C), when the surfaces of the magnetic particles were not coated with any of the above-described compounds in accordance with the known methods.
Secondly, in a magnetic tape produced from magnetic particles, the mechanical strength is sometimes lowered or the increase of the friction coefficient sometimes causes a trouble. This fact is described, for example, at p. 169 of Causes for Friction and Abrasion between Magnetic Tape and Magnetic Head and Countermeasure for Troubles (1987), published by the publication department of Technologic Information Center, " . . . The higher the surface strength (the scratch resistance) of the magnetic layer, the smaller the increase of dropouts with respect to the frequency of use . . . ", and " . . . In a magnetic recording system, the magnetic tape runs in contact with the head and the fixed guides. The friction coefficient of the magnetic tape and the contacting portion of the recording machine directly influences the running property of the magnetic tape . . . "
In order to improve the durability and running property of a magnetic tape, abrasives and lubricants are generally added during the production of the magnetic tape.
Although the appropriate addition of abrasives and lubricants improves the durability and running property of a magnetic tape, if the amount is too much, such an additive sometimes deteriorates the signal recording property (electromagnetic conversion property) of the magnetic tape or even lowers the durability. The amount of abrasives and lubricants used therefore has its limitation.
The present inventors have made an attempt to improve the durability of a magnetic tape while reducing the amount of used abrasives and lubricants by modifying the surfaces of the magnetic particles.
Thirdly, when the surface resistance of the magnetic tape produced from magnetic materials and a binder resin sometimes increases, thereby causing a trouble. This fact is described, for example, at p. 171 of Causes for Friction and Abrasion between Magnetic Tape and Magnetic Head and Countermeasure for Troubles (1987), published by the publication department of Technologic Information Center, " . . . When a magnetic tape slides in a recording machine and causes charging, the load drawn from half of the tape is increased, the tape absorbs dust, thereby causing dropouts. Also the tape adheres to the drum in a helical scan system, or the discharge noise (white noise) is caused by discharging. In order to prevent charging, an antistatic agent is added or a material which lowers the surface resistance is selected . . . "
For example, in order to prevent a magnetic tape from charging and to lower the surface resistance, carbon black or the like is generally added during the production of the magnetic tape.
Although the addition of an appropriate amount of carbon black or another antistatic agent is effective in preventing charging and the lowering of the surface resistance, too much addition thereof sometimes deteriorates the magnetic properties of the magnetic tape such as the saturation magnetization and the residual magnetization. The amount of antistatic agent added therefore has its limitation.
The present inventors have also made an attempt to reduce the surface resistance of a magnetic tape while reducing the amount of used carbon black or another antistatic agent by modifying the surfaces of the magnetic particles.
Accordingly, the technical problems to be solved of the present invention are to provide magnetic particles, (A) which have excellent dispersibility and large parameter .alpha., or (B) which have excellent dispersibility and large parameter .alpha. and (i) which can improve the strength of the coating film of a magnetic recording medium produced therefrom, (ii) which can provide a magnetic recording medium produced therefrom with a high durability by improving the mechanical strength and reducing the friction coefficient, or (iii) which can lower the surface resistance of a magnetic recording medium produced therefrom without impairing the saturation magnetization and the residual magnetization.
As a result of studies undertaken by the present inventors so as to solve the technical problems, it has been found that by adding an aqueous alkali solution to an aqueous suspension containing magnetic particles as a raw material to obtain a suspension having a pH of not less than 10, adding an aqueous solution containing Al, an aqueous solution containing Si or a mixture thereof to the resultant suspension, adjusting the pH of the suspension to approximately the neutrality under stirring, thereby quickly precipitating an oxide or hydroxide containing Al, Si or both Al and Si in not more than 10 minutes, filtering out the magnetic particles together with the oxide or hydroxide deposited or precipitated on the surface or periphery of the magnetic particles in the suspension to obtain a solid substance composed of the magnetic particles and the oxide or hydroxide deposited or precipitated on the surface or periphery of the magnetic particles, washing and drying the solid substance, and compacting and pulverizing the obtained solid substance by an edge runner mill, the thus-obtained magnetic particles have a molecular-weight-dependent parameter .alpha. of not less than 0.50 and show an excellent dispersibility. On the basis of this finding, the present invention has been achieved.